Folding camp bed



J, KIBLER, JR. FOtDlNG CAMP BED. APPLICATION mu) AUG-18.1920.

Patented May 23, 1922.

INVENTOR. JZl/m hang Jk. BY 56 Image A TTORNEYS.

. Z all whom it mag concern:

narrate JOHN .nrnnnzaan, OF.WALLHA.WALLA, wasnrne'ron, Assrsnon or, ONE-HALF TO rmianynnnwrrr, or wanna warns, WASHINGTON.

,FOLDING CAME BED.

Application filedyhugust 18 .Be. it ,knownthat L JoHN K-Iepnn, Jr., a

citizen of the United -States, residing at "lValla 'Walla, in the-county o'fd/VallaWValla and State of Nashington,have invented ceri. tain new and useful=Improvementsin- Folding Camp Beds, ofwhich the following is specification.

, This invention relates to folding camp beds adaptable for tourists and has for its object to provide a bed which may be folded in a small space; a further object is to provide a bed in which the act of sitting up renders its flexible bottom yieldingly rigid.

A further object is to provide a bed which is cheap to construct and which may be rolled or folded into a small space.

With these and other objects in view reference is now had to the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the bed set up;

Fig. 2 shows the ball and socket joint with part in section;

Fig. 3 is a fragment and shows the independent tightening means; p

Fig. 4 is a rear view of a leg;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of Fig. 3, showing a leg;

Fig. 6 shows a major part folded on itself with bottom removed;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the independent tightening means; and

Fig. 8 is a fragment showing position of frame when taking down or setting up.

Having reference to the drawings, like numerals refer to like parts throughout and the numeral 1 refers to the frame which consists of two major parts a and b respectively; each of which consists of an end piece 2 having bent ends forming the female portion 3 of a hinge, while the side rail 4; terminates, at the hinge end, in a flattened portion to complete the hinge. The bent ends provide the required allowance of space for snug folding purposes and permits the bottom 5 to extend laterally the full width of the rails as shown in Fig. 1.

The side rails are joined together centrally of the frame in a novel manner, the respective ends thereof being formed into a ball and socket joint, one end forming the ball 6 while the corresponding end forms the socket 7, the urpose of which will be presently explained. Over the rail is a sliding sleeve 8 Specification of Letters IPatent.

Patentedllfay 23, 1922.

, 1920. Serial No. 404,355.

which when broughtover the ball and socket joint maintains rigidity at this point.

The'ball and socket .jointbeinganimportant=feature, I will now.proceed to explain its; functi0n. 'Referrmg tOjFig. 8 it will. be noted that thesleeve 8 has been moved to expose the joint. and .that the side rail is broken at this point. Any tension now existing on the end piece 2 draws it in as shown by the solid lines therein; this relieves the tension on the frame and the opposite joint is then easily broken. Now, to set up the bed, (after unfolding) one of the side rails is made rigid, and the free ends of the other side rail are now brought together, the ball and socket now unite and form a flexible union which may be manipulated to take up the tension without danger of slipping, after which the sleeve 8 is brought over the joint and completes the process. Thus is the importance of the ball and socket joint at this point shown, as without this the completing of this set up of the frame would be an awkward matter requiring a hinge with its at tendant danger of pinching the operator during manipulation.

The frame is provided with legs 9 which support the free end of the frame, the opposite end being supported by the running board 10 of a car to which the end of the frame is fastened by means of U bolts represented as at 11. By this means a certain amount of flexibility in a vertical plane is established wherewith to aid in folding up the bed, after which the U bolts, together with any convenient fastening means for the roll formed by folding, will prevent the bed from falling from the running board.

The bottom 5 of the bed consists of a yielding material, such as canvas, and is adjustable as to tension by the lacing 12 as shown in Fig. 1. It is obvious that other means of adjustment may be employed, such as straps, with equal effectiveness.

Another principal feature of my invention is the independent adjustable tightening means which consists of a cable or chain 13 which is passed along the edge of the bottom, with one of its ends permanently attached to one end rail and with its other end attached adjustably to the other end rail through the medium of an adjusting means consisting of the usual hooked bolt and thumbnut 14. By this means as great tension as desired may be placed on the edge of the bottom Without an undue tension being put on the bottom. Other cables or chains may be distributed beneath the bottom if desired.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. Ina folding camp bed, a frame consisting of two major parts, each of said parts foldable upon itself, and each of said parts terminating in one part of a ball and socket joint, to register With the corresponding socket and ball of its fellow, a sliding sleeve covering said joint to maintain rigidity thereat, legs foldably attached to-said frame,

an'independently adjustable yielding bottom attached to said frame, adjustable tightening members supporting said bottom, cooptain rigidity thereat, legs foldably attached to said frame, an adjustable yielding bottom attached to said frame, independently adjustable tightening members supporting said bottom, and a means for tightening said members operably attached to said frame.

In testimony whereof-I aflix my signature.

JOHN KIBLER, JR. 

